Twins outfielder Torii Hunter considered retiring after the Tigers — then his team — were knocked out of the ALDS by the Orioles. He ended up signing with the Twins, the team that took him in the first round of the 1993 draft, on a one-year, $10.5 million deal.

Hunter, 39, told MLB Network Radio that if he has a productive 2015, he won’t retire at the end of the season. He was still productive last season, finishing the regular season with a .286/.319/.446 slash line along with 17 home runs and 83 RBI. That was pretty close to his .304/.334/.465, 17 HR, and 84 RBI in 2013. Offensively, he isn’t in an obvious decline. Defense is another matter, though, as he’s no longer the nine-time Gold Glove winner. If he’s to play at age 40 and beyond, it should probably be as a DH.

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher has reversed course and will continue to pay minor leaguers. Fisher tells Slusser, “I concluded I made a mistake.” He said he is also setting up an assistance fund for furloughed employees.

The A’s decided in late May to stop paying paying minor leaguers as of June 1, which was the earliest date on which any club could do so after an MLB-wide agreement to pay minor leaguers through May 31 expired. In the event, the A’s were the only team to stop paying the $400/week stipends to players before the end of June. Some teams, notable the Royals and Twins, promised to keep the payments up through August 31, which is when the minor league season would’ve ended. The Washington Nationals decided to lop off $100 of the stipends last week but, after a day’s worth of blowback from the media and fans, reversed course themselves.

An @sfchronicle exclusive: A's owner John Fisher reverses course, apologizes: team will pay minor-leaguers; "I concluded I made a mistake," he tells me. He's also setting up an assistance fund for furloughed employees: https://t.co/8HUBkFAaBx)